Watch Movies

Play Games

Whether it’s a shoot em’ up like Modern Combat 4 or a fun puzzle game like Angry Birds, you can be sure that it’s much more fun on the big screen with a game pad.

Access Android Apps

Download applications from the Play Store and load them up on your TV. You can play games, access media players, very useful or just outright crazy apps.

The Best Android TV Box Features

Being a multimedia entertainment hub, there are plenty of features that can be found in the best Android TV Boxes. Here are some of the most important ones you need to know about.

How Well Does it Perform? – This question is probably one of the first things you’ll want to know. Granted, you’d want your Android TV Box to have a high performance and to get a gauge of this, you’ll have to look at its processor and Random Access Memory (RAM).

CPU Processor – While searching through the hundreds of different Android TV Boxes, you’ll see that each one’s processor will be labelled with a fancy name. At the most basic level, what it boils down to is the gigahertz (GHz) and the Cores (dual core, quad core, octa core etc.) – the higher they are, the better the processor should be in terms of processing information quickly.

Random Access Memory (RAM) – The same applies to the RAM of a device, that the higher it is, the better the device will perform when multiple apps are running at the same time. Most modern Android TV Boxes are loaded with 1GB and 2GB RAMs which should be enough to handle the device’s media.

Is it Fully Loaded? – When you hear the term “fully loaded Android TV Box”, it basically means that the device is pre-loaded with a variety of different apps (Youtube, Netflix, CloudTV etc.) so you can get started quickly without having to do any downloading.

Kodi – Formerly known as XBMC, Kodi is a free and open source app that allows you to download and play a vast array of movies, TV shows, music, podcasts and live sports. Any Android TV Box you buy should be pre-loaded with Kodi which saves you the hassle from setting it up yourself.

4K Resolution – Most of the best Android TV Boxes nowadays are equipped to handle 1080P streaming; but some go one step further, offering 4K streaming (4000 x 2000 pixels) for those who have 4K TVs.

Internal Storage – Having more gigabytes on board allows you to store more apps, music, movies and other downloaded media. 8GB and 16GB are typical storage capabilities for most Android Boxes and if that’s not enough, then you have the option to connect an external storage device through the box’s various media inputs (USB and SD Card).

What Makes A Good Android TV Box?

Power

Do not settle for less. If you’re going to be streaming videos and playing games in high definition, then you’ll definitely need a powerful Android TV Box that is capable of doing that.

Connections

Simply put, the more connections that the device has, the more options you’ll have when it comes to connecting external devices such as USB sticks and external HDDs.

Reliability

There’s nothing more annoying than buying an Android TV Box, kicking back and relaxing while watching your favourite TV show, then the device crashes. Get a device that’s reliable is a must.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kodi / XBMC?

XBMC, which is now known as Kodi, is an open source home theater software. It’s a full entertainment hub that allows you to watch videos, listen to music, view images, watch and record live TV shows among a range of other things. It’s available for Android, Windows, Linux, iOS and other operating systems. Click here to visit the Kodi/XBMC official website.

Can I use a keyboard and mouse?

Most Android TV boxes will allow you to connect a keyboard and mouse via USB or wireless to control the device. It’s also possible to connect a game pad such as an XBOX controller to play games.

What can an Android TV box do?

To keep it simple, an Android TV box will basically turn your TV into a huge Android tablet. This means you can do everything an Android tablet or phone can do, but on a bigger screen.

How is an Android TV box different from Apple TV, Roku, WD Live and other media players?

First and foremost, an Android TV box runs on an Android OS, something that you may already be very familiar with. There are usually more connectivity options too. Other media players are also limited on software options since they are closed platforms, whereas an Android TV box is open source which means that they can be tweaked and customized by users. This allows you to access the widest array of streaming content as well as a full selection of local media.

About Us

The popularity of Android TV boxes are gaining steam, and for good reasons. They’re the answer to Apple TV and Roku media players, except, they run on an Android operating system which allows you to access the thousands of apps on the Google Play Store.

Essentially, it will turn your TV into a massive Android tablet. However, there are a lot of poor quality Android TV boxes simply because of inadequate technology. Slow loading times (sometimes not even loading apps) and screen freezes are common problems among many models.

Here at BestAndroidTVBox.co.uk, we’re here to help you select the best model so you won’t have to endure the stress that comes with receiving a crappy Android TV box. Head over to our comparison table to see side-by-side specs comparison of the top 7 Android TV boxes. Beneath the table, you can also read what our favourite picks are and why.